The present application relates to a mount for a disk brake. More particularly, the present application relates to a mounting mechanism, preferably in the form of a mounting bracket, for mounting a disk brake adjacent to the front or rear wheel of a bicycle.
Disk brakes, which have been applied to a variety of wheeled vehicles such as cars and motorcycles, have become popular for use with bicycles. Such disk brakes typically include a brake disk mounted on the bicycle wheel and a brake mechanism including a caliper for frictionally engaging the brake disk. The caliper of the disk brake may be actuated using an actuator comprising a hydraulic, pneumatic, cable or linkage mechanism, or other suitable mechanisms, or by a combination of such mechanisms. The actuator preferably is positioned adjacent to or is coupled to the handlebar portion of the bicycle for convenient access during riding. The disk brake further includes an actuation mechanism that is cooperatively engaged with the disk brake actuator, and which may be mounted adjacent the caliper and brake disk for moving the caliper to engage the brake disk as desired.
Typically, the brake disk is mounted about the axle of a bicycle wheel and fixed to the wheel for rotation therewith. In the past, bicycle frames have included a mounting element to which the actuation mechanism and caliper of a disk brake assembly is mounted so that when the caliper frictionally engages the brake disk, the speed of rotation of the brake disk and wheel will be decreased. However, not all bicycle frames are equipped with such mounting elements. Thus, in order to retrofit a disk brake on a bicycle that has another type of brake system and no integral disk brake mounting elements, a retrofit mounting mechanism for the disk brake must be provided.
Disk brake mountings have been incorporated into some disk brake systems such that the systems may be mounted on frames not provided with such a mounting element. Several such disk brake and mounting assemblies are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,949,838 to Buhrman, 5,390,771 to Hinkens, et. al., 5,607,031 to Hollars and 5,632,362 to Leitner, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Not all brakes are provided with a mounting mechanism, however, and there is therefore a need for a separate mounting bracket that can be attached to a bicycle frame not having disk brake mounting elements.
In addition, disk brake mounting elements of the types described in the aforementioned patents are integrally formed as part of a particular disk brake system and are not usable with other disk brakes. Thus, there is also a need for a disk brake mounting element that may be used with more than one type of disk brake.
Another disadvantage of assemblies such as that shown in the Hollars patent is that such assemblies attach to the axle of a bicycle and therefore do not permit the use of a conventional quick-release wheel connection system. Also, the mounting configurations used in assemblies such as that disclosed in the Fuhrman, Hinkens, Hollars, and Leitner patents are inefficient in that they either do not possess the desired amount of rigidity, or are not as lightweight as is preferable for a disk brake mount, or both. Many of these disk brake and mounting assemblies are also unnecessarily complex. Thus, there is a need for a simple, lightweight yet rigid disk brake mounting element that is adaptable for use in connection with a quick-release wheel mounting system of a bicycle.
Disk brake mounting designs such as that disclosed in the Hollars patent have required modified wheel hubs or other components, the welding of a mounting element to the bicycle frame, or the placement of bolts or other fasteners through the frame. Such mountings are undesirable because, among other things, welding, drilling or other such operations which compromise the integrity of the bicycle frame may reduce the strength and corrosion resistance of the frame. Thus, there is a need for a disk brake mounting element that may be mounted to a bicycle frame without substantially altering the integrity of the bicycle frame or components.